Safety end of run feeder

ABSTRACT

Apparatus to advance a row of aligned, on edge, sheets past a table-mounted notching station without manual assistance. A chain-driven gauge in the form of one or more downwardly extending hooks is mounted in an overhead channel member. This member also serves as an alignment guide preventing vertical displacement of the row as it passes over the notching blade. The apparatus has particular usefulness in advancing the last part of a job run through the notching station in a semicontinuous operation where the row is normally fed upstream from the notching station by a reciprocating gauge. The device eliminates manually pushing the last portion of the row through the notcher station and the hazards attendant thereto.

United States Patent [WI Mullinax, Sr.

I 1 Aug. 26, 1975 I SAFETY END OF RUN FEEDER [75] Inventor: Harold L.Mullinax, Sr., Morrow [73] Assignee: Owens-Illinois, lnc., Toledo. Ohio122] Filed: June 13, I974 211 App]. No.: 478.954

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Scr. No. 370333. June 15.I973.

281L218 10/1918 Hawthorne 83/5 X 870.630 8/1932 Johnson 83/435 581,0491/1952 Schempers 83/5 X 109L769 6/1963 Bell ct al .7 83/5 X PrimaryExaminer-Frank T. Yost Attorney, Agent. or Firm-D. T. Innis; E. J.Holler 57 1 ABSTRACT Apparatus to advance a row of aligned, on edge,sheets past a table-mounted notching station without manual assistance.A chain-driven gauge in the form of one or more downwardly extendinghooks is mounted in an overhead channel member, This memher also servesas an alignment guide preventing vertical displacement of the row as itpasses over the notching blade. The apparatus has particular usefulnessin advancing the last part of ajob run through the notching station in asemicontinuous operation where the row is normally fed upstream from thenotching station by a reciprocating gauge. The device eliminatesmanually pushing the last portion of the row through the notcher stationand the hazards attendant thereto.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAUBZBIBES 1901 .109

SEC? 2 OF 3 FIG. 2

pmmguwsesms 3.901.109

SHEET 3 OF 3 FIG. 4

SAFETY END OF RUN FEEDER This is a division of application Ser. No.370,333 filed June 15, 1973.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This inventionrelates generally to apparatus for advancing material past a cuttingstation, and, more particularly, for moving a row of aligned sheets pasta table-mounted slotter saw, where the row is normally semi-continuouslyfed by a reciprocating back gauge such as that shown in US. Pat. No.2,855,009 to Mc- Cormick at 32.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the manufacture of corrugatedpaperboard container parts, many container assembly configurationsrequire inserts with slots which are used to form partitions such ashoneycomb structures within the container. In manufacturing these insertblanks, it is common in the art to use a table-mounted circular saw tocut the slots in the inserts. Normally, the inserts are aligned in a rowor column and pushed past the saw blade while simultaneously beingrestrained on at least the top edge to prevent random motion while beingpushed through the slotter station.

When automatic feeding of a continuous column of inserts is used, asshown in the above-named patent, a problem arises when, at the end of arun on one type of insert, the last portion of the column must be pushedpast the slotter saw. Manual methods are hazardous, in that the highspeed of the saw blades and lack of a solid row extending back to theautomatic feed mechanism can result in a sharp kickback of any manualpusher device such as a pole or rod. More importantly, if the rod ismisplaced and contacts the saw blade, a very definite threat of harm tothe operator occurs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Apparatus to advance a row or column of alignedsheet-like articles past a slotter saw using an overhead engaging meanswhich is adapted to Contact the last one of a column of sheets upstreamfrom the saw and move that portion of the column or row downstream fromthe contacted sheet through the slotter saw without manual assistance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view, partlyin section, of an apparatus embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the apparatus inFIG. 1 showing the operation of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in FIG. I, a typicalslotter station includes a frame supporting a slide table 11 on which aplurality of paperboard sheets 12 are arranged on their edges in a rowor column. The row of sheets 12 is slidable along the table 11. Thelength of the apparatus is, of course. variable.

As seen in FIG. 1, in normal operation, the apparatus is fed in asubstantially continuous manner with a row of sheets 12, pushed alongthe slide table 11 by a reciprocating gauge 13. The gauge 13 is part ofa cutting mechanism (not shown) described in US. Pat. No. 2,855,009.Sheet material is fed transversely into the cutting mechanism along afeeder table 14, and pushed by the reciprocating gauge 13 down thelength of the slide table 11. In this manner, a solid row of sheets 12is formed along the length of the table 11 and the row is advanced bythe gauge 13. The row is moved along in an intermittent fashion as thegauge 13 is cycled. The term continuous," as herein used to describethis part of the operation, really means continuously reciprocatmg.

A slot 15 is formed in the table 11, parallel to the direction of travelof the sheets 12. It should be noted that in FIGS. 1 and 2, the row ofsheets 12 has been broken away to show the notching station. This slot15 is adapted to be an opening for a circular saw blade 16. The sawblade 16 is mounted on a pulley and shaft assembly 18. The blade 16 isdriven by a motor 17 and a drive belt 19. It should be understood thatsome installations may employ multiple saw blades to cut a plurality ofspaced-apart slots in the sheets 12.

When in the normal mode of continuous operation, the row of sheets 12 ispushed by the reciprocating gauge 13 through the area of the slotter sawblade 16. It should be understood that the row of sheets 12 is pushed bythe gauge 13, the gauge 13 then reciprocates backward. and a new groupof sheets 12 are fed transversely onto the table 11 from theside-engaging slide table 14. The gauge 13 then moves forward tocomplete the cycle. Thus, the row of sheets 12 is advanced and fed fromthe upstream end.

As seen in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, an overhead restraining channel 20 extendsthe length of the apparatus and is supported by the frame 10. Acoverplate 21 extends the length of the channel 20 and is also supportedby the frame 10.

The coverplate 21 is vertically spaced from the channel 20, thus forminga slot or guideway 22 at each side of the channel 20 which extendssubstantially the length thereof.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the ends of the apparatus support sprocketwheels 23 and 24 respectively. Sprocket wheel 23 is rigidly attached toa vertical shaft 25 which is, in turn, mounted for rotation in a bearingmount 26 and a bearing mount 27. The bearing mount 26 is attached to thecoverplate 21 and the bearing mount 27 is attached to the frame 10.

At the opposite end of the apparatus, sprocket wheel 24 is rigidlyattached to a vertical shaft 30. The vertical shaft 30 is mounted forrotation in a bearing mount 31 attached to the coverplate 21. At theuppermost end of the shaft 30 is a pulley 32.

A motor 33 is attached to an extension 34 of the frame 10 and drives thepulley 32 and sprocket wheel 24 by a drive belt 35. In the preferredembodiment, the motor 33 is reversible.

A slide block 40 is seen best in both FIGS. 2 and 3. In FIG. 2, thecoverplate 21 has been broken away to show the slide block 40. A hole 41extends through one side of the block 40 at a position which is in theplane of the sprockets 23 and 24.

The hole 41 accommodates a carrier chain 30 which can slide through thehole 41. The chain extends 3,90l,lO9

3 around the sprocket wheels 23 and 24 and is rigidly attached to theblock 40 by couplers 43 and 44. Coupler 43 may only be seen in FIG. 2.

Two pins, each shown as 50, extend outwardly from the sides nearest theleading or downward edge of slide block 40. Two similar pins shown as 51extend outwardly from the sides of slide block 40 nearest the trailingedge of block 40. The pins 50 and 51 extend beyond the sides of thechannel and protrude through the guideways 22 on each side.

A pair of hooks 60, one of which is shown in FIG. 4, are used to contactthe row of sheets 12 when the last of a run of one size of sheet 12 isreached. Each hook 60 has a hole 61 formed therein (shown only in H6.4), which fits over one of the pins 50. The rear portion of each hook 60simply rests on the rear or trailing edge pin 51. The hooks 60 may beremoved when not in use.

OPERATION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows the apparatus duringnormal, continuous operation. A full row of sheets 12 extend back to thearea where the sheets 12 are loaded transversely from feeder table 14 ingroups and advanced by the reciprocating gauge 13. The slotted sheets 12are offloaded at the downstream end of the slide table 11.

As seen in FIG. 2, at the conclusion of a continuous run of groups ofsheets 12 through the apparatus, the row is advanced manually to a pointwhere the last sheet 12 in the row is between the sprocket wheel 23 andthe saw blade 16. This may be done manually since the last sheet 12 willnot be advanced into the vicinity of the blade 16.

The slide block 40 is then positioned over the last part of the row ofsheets 12. The two hooks are attached to the pins 50 on the sides of theslide block 40 and set in position to contact the rearward face of thelast sheet 12 in the row. This is the position of the apparatus in FIG.2. The motor 33 is then used to turn the pulley 32 and sprocket wheel 24which advances the slide block 40 through the action of the carrierchain 80.

The slide block 40 and the hooks 60 attached thereto pull the row ofsheets 12 through the area of the slotter saw blade 16 and beyond, afterwhich the slotted sheets 12 are removed. The motor 33 is then reversedand moves the slide block 40 back upstream to be in position for theconclusion of the subsequent job run.

I claim:

1. The method of advancing a complete column of similar sheet-likearticles, arranged on their edges in face-to-face relationship, to andthrough a tablemounted slotter station comprising the steps of:

a. engaging the last article in said column upstream from said slotterstation by a pair of spacedapart downwardly directed members;

b. pulling said members in unison toward said slotter station;

c. continuing the pulling movement of said members to the extent thatall of said articles are moved through said slotter station; andreturning said members to their initial position preparatory to repeating the cycle on the next end-of-run of a supply of articles.

1. The method of advancing a complete column of similar sheetlikearticles, arranged on their edges in face-to-face relationship, to andthrough a table-mounted slotter station comprising the steps of: a.engaging the last article in said column upstream from said slotterstation by a pair of spaced-apart downwardly directed members; b.pulling said members in unison toward said slotter station; c.continuing the pulling movement of said members to the extent that allof said articles are moved through said slotter station; and returningsaid members to their initial position preparatory to repeating thecycle on the next end-of-run of a supply of articles.